Here’s 5 tips to capture today’s Supermoon

Today at 5.52 PM UAE time, the moon will be closer, brighter and bigger in the sky than its been in 68 years. The phenomenon known as the Supermoon was last seen at this size in 1948. The Supermoon will be 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the moon regularly looks. The next time it will look like this will be 2034.

Bill Ingalls, NASA Photographer Credits: Michael Ventura

Incase you’re going to be attempting to take some pics of the Supermoon, NASA photographer Bill Ingallas has revealed some interesting tips to capture today’s event.

Keep a point of comparison in the images.

“It can be a local landmark, or anything to give your photo a sense of place,” Mr Ingalls said.

If you capture just the moon, it might look like nothing more than a zoomed image of the moon. Taking it in reference to a landmark such as the Burj Khalifa or the newly opened Dubai Canal will give it perspective.

You can capture it with your smartphone

“You’re not going to get a giant moon in your shot, but you can do something more panoramic, including some foreground that’s interesting. Think about being in an urban area where it’s a little bit brighter.”

While you can’t take a very clear shot with your smartphone cameras, Ingalls does state that you could get some decent panoramic shots using your devices.

“Tap the screen and hold your finger on the object (in this case, the moon) to lock the focus. Then slide your finger up or down to darken or lighten the exposure.”

Use people to bring it to life

“I think this would be a lot of fun to do with kids, if nothing else, to just have them witness it and talk about what’s taking place,” Mr Ingalls said. “There are lots of great photos of people appearing to be holding the moon in their hand and that kind of thing. You can get really creative with it,” he added.

If you don’t have a structure tall enough or big enough, you can use the people around you to create a fun image.

Choose the best location

Dubai will prove to be fantastic for photographers looking for the right image. The weather is proving to be great and photographers can choose from the hustle and bustle of the city to the calm depths of the desert. Ingalls mentions how he uses every tool possible to determine the right location to shoot from.

“It means doing a lot of homework. I use Google Maps and other apps – even a compass — to plan where to get just the right angle at the right time.”

Use your DSLR to its potential

Ingalls mentions that daylight white balance is the best setting to capture the moonlight. For those with longer lenses he advises, “Keep in mind that the moon is a moving object. It’s a balancing act between trying to get the right exposure and realizing that the shutter speed typically needs to be a lot faster.”

If all goes well, you might just be able to capture the supermoon like Shaikh Hamdan standing above Burj Khalifa to see the supermoon rise atop Dubai two years ago.